1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a handheld hygienic sprayer or bidet apparatus that may be installed on standard, pre-existing toilet or other water supply lines to aid in spraying water in an ergonomic manner for cleaning and hygiene purposes and that may optionally include a mounting base for securely holding the sprayer in a manner that may disguise its presence or be more aesthetically pleasing.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of a bidet is standard in many parts of the world, including Europe and Asia. A stand-alone bidet is a frequently installed fixture in these parts of the world. In the United States and other western countries, it is less common to have a bidet installed in residential bathrooms or hotel bathrooms. For improved hygiene, to aid with cleanliness for persons with disabilities or limited mobility, or for cultural reasons, it is often desirable to add a bidet to an existing bathroom facility. Installation of a permanent bidet fixture in an existing bathroom is expensive, requiring the addition of plumbing and sufficient floor space to accommodate the fixture, which may require relocation of walls and other fixtures. To avoid this expense, there are many known bidet systems that may be added to a standard toilet. These typically involve connecting a hose having a handheld sprayer to the water line that supplies water to the toilet. The sprayer may then be used when needed much like a traditional bidet.
Many prior art handheld bidet systems include sprayers that are adapted from kitchen sink sprayers or shower head sprayers. These sprayer designs are not well suited for use in a bidet application for several reasons. Many of these sprayers have a trigger to actuate the flow of water that is located on the side of the sprayer opposite the side where the water is discharged. When being used while seated on a toilet, it may be difficult to depress the trigger while holding the sprayer at the proper angle to direct water to the areas to be cleaned, particularly for persons with disabilities or limited mobility. Additionally, the water is sprayed at an angle that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sprayer. This angle is not the most ergonomic design for a sprayer being used as a bidet. The overall ergonomics of these types of sprayers, including a shorter hand surface and surface materials that may be slippery when wet, are not ideal for bidet use.
Many prior art handheld bidet systems lack an adequate docking station to discretely store the sprayer when not in use. It is desirable to be able to store the sprayer when not in use in a manner that minimizes the appearance of the bidet system, as some users may prefer that the existence of the handheld bidet system not be obvious to guests, or that it blends in with the other fixtures in the bathroom for aesthetic reasons. Some systems include a simple hook-type device to hold the sprayer, which does nothing to disguise the fact that it is a bidet sprayer and is not particularly attractive. Other systems include elaborate and substantially sized cabinets or special toilet tanks to house the bidet system, which are not discrete and may require a substantial amount of space for installation in the bathroom. Examples of these more elaborate systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,543,339 and 6,163,898, for example.